Barthez and Brown have been criticised for their mistakes which have cost Man U dear in their last two defeats against Deportivo La Coruna and Bolton.

However, Nicky Butt feels it is unfair to single out individuals and he claims Man U win as a team and lose as a team.

"They are two big players who take their individual mistakes on the chin and just get on with it," he said.

"But we're also a team who take defeat together and not just individually."

The mistakes have contributed to their alarming goals against tally of 21 in their 13 games this season.

Even so, Butt does not think the defence is performing that badly as they prepare to face Olympiakos at Old Trafford tonight.

"Personally I think most of the time we have defended well, and it's just down to silly individual errors.

"Obviously it's a problem because we keep giving goals away."

Despite Man U's generosity at the back, they could still qualify for the Champions' League second phase tonight. The Reds, who beat Olympiakos 2-0 in Athens two weeks ago, will progress if they can overcome the Greeks a second time and Lille fail to defeat Deportivo in La Coruna.

But Man U would find themselves bottom of Group G if Olympiakos and Lille win and they would then face a must-win showdown away to the French side.

Butt could start tonight because Reds captain Roy Keane is likely to miss out with his knee injury.

Olympiakos, who have never won away in the Champions' League, have more serious injury worries. Ze Elias is out, while goalkeeper Dimitrios Eleftheropoulos and Stylianos Venetidis are doubtful.

To add to their problems, Brazilian Giovanni is suspended after he was sent off against Lille.